Finding the best child custody schedule for your children

 Posted on April 28, 2020 in Child Custody

Texas is a community property state, meaning that just about all assets acquired during marriage are divided 50-50 in a divorce. However, when it comes to determining child custody schedules, the division of time is not so simple. Though many parents nowadays want to split custody 50-50, it can be a challenge to find a schedule that works for everyone, particularly if the parents do not live especially close to one another.

Alternating every other week

Though it may be easier for parents to trade off custody every other week, this is not the best idea for children. If your children are on the younger side, it can be especially traumatic for them to suddenly go one full week without seeing one of their parents, and it may cause them separation anxiety or even an anxiety disorder. A better solution would be to make a schedule where the children do not go more than four days without seeing each of their parents.

The 2-2-3 and the 3-4-4-3 schedules

Since it would be extremely difficult to split one week exactly in half, a lot of people adhere to a 2-2-3 schedule, where parents alternate between having the children for two or three days at a time. A similar schedule is the 3-4-4-3 schedule, where parents alternate between having custody for three or four days. These plans are especially good for younger children, who are preschool or elementary school aged.

Alternatives to a 50/50 schedule

Some parents may find it easiest to agree on a custody schedule that is not exactly equal, which is okay. If it is too inconvenient to switch custody during the school week, you may want to consider an extended weekend schedule, where one parent has custody Monday through Thursday and the other parent has custody Friday through Sunday. If one parent is going to have primary physical custody, parents can agree to allow the other parent to have the children every weekend or every other extended weekend. If you need assistance coming up with a child custody schedule, you may want to consult with a family law attorney.